Medicare and Medicaid are actually worse than private insurance companies when it comes to hassles and phone trees without ever speaking to a real person.

I've worked in a cancer treatment center, and with private insurance there is an appeal process if you want to use a treatment drug that isn't part of the "clear and easily understandable guidelines". I talked to nurses and doctors that insurance company employs to go over the cases and approve payment. With enough data I could persuade them to approve other treatments.

Medicare on the other hand had no such process. If your desired treatment was not on the list, too bad. There was no number to call, no doctor to speak with. I fear that is what we are headed for.